Ok it’s not entirely a new language for me, but I’m needing to get better at German pretty quickly. If all goes to plan, I’ll be in Berlin for 2 weeks in May and I’d like to be able to speak the language a lot better than I do now.

At the moment I can give my name and say my age, and count to 999. But that doesn’t really help.

What’s the best way to learn a new language, when I don’t have the option of conversing with someone else who speaks the language?

>>At the moment I can give my name and say my age

No no, don’t tell them anything at the check point, just tell them that you’ve lost your papers and you’re an orphan.

Ich habe meine Papiere verloren und ich bin eine Waise

Try duolingo:

https://www.duolingo.com

It’s absolutely free, and you can go at it as hard as you like. Work throug the exercises, do the updates/refreshers, do some EVERY DAY.

It’s fun.

Mein Luftkissenfahrzeug ist voller Aale

I worked in around 20 different countries and always took a pocket phrase book. I have an extensive collection of these:

http://www.berlitz.com.au/a/about-menu/berlitz-publishing

Very useful.

pommiejohn said:

I worked in around 20 different countries

About the same here. I learnt to order a beer in each.

sibeen said:

pommiejohn said:

I worked in around 20 different countries

About the same here. I learnt to order a beer in each.

…wait…does NZ Count?

sibeen said:

…wait…does NZ Count?

For anything other than rugby?

Rosetta Stone is big with the military here in the US.

I also know a former forum member is/was using Duolingo to learn Spanish. He made very good progress.

JTQ said:

Ok it’s not entirely a new language for me, but I’m needing to get better at German pretty quickly. If all goes to plan, I’ll be in Berlin for 2 weeks in May and I’d like to be able to speak the language a lot better than I do now.

At the moment I can give my name and say my age, and count to 999. But that doesn’t really help.

What’s the best way to learn a new language, when I don’t have the option of conversing with someone else who speaks the language?

The good thing is that half a German conversation is close to talking English.

JTQ said:

Ok it’s not entirely a new language for me, but I’m needing to get better at German pretty quickly. If all goes to plan, I’ll be in Berlin for 2 weeks in May and I’d like to be able to speak the language a lot better than I do now.

At the moment I can give my name and say my age, and count to 999. But that doesn’t really help.

I was in exactly that situation in 1981, and found an excellent book. Trying to remember the title. Got it. “Deutsch für Ausländer” by Hermann Kessler.

(Gee, my memory is amazing).

Don’t bother trying to learn German. most Germans are bilingual, and probably know English better than the English.

Neophyte said:

Don’t bother trying to learn German. most Germans are bilingual, and probably know English better than the English.

Just learn to speak English in a German accent, you’ll be fine.

JTQ said:

I’ll be in Berlin for 2 weeks in May and I’d like to be able to speak the language a lot better than I do now.

At the moment I can give my name and say my age, and count to 999. But that doesn’t really help.

Just don’t mention the war. I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.

Also, Ve haff vays of making you tok.